1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrode unit and an electrode system that apply an electrical stimulus to a linear tissue, and an electrode implanting apparatus and an electrode implanting system that implant an electrode unit in a state where it is wound around a linear tissue.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-014215, filed Jan. 26, 2010, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-064647, filed Mar. 19, 2010, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, an electrode unit having an electrode was wound around an elongated linear tissue to apply a predetermined voltage thereto or to measure current flowing in the linear tissue. In the medical field, stimulus generators applying an electrical stimulus directly or indirectly to a body tissue (linear tissue) such as a nerve tissue or a muscle for treatment has been conventionally known such as a nerve stimulator, a pain reliever, an epilepsy treatment apparatus, and a muscle stimulator. The stimulus generators have a power source therein and are used in a state where they are buried in a body along with an electrode lead transmitting the electrical stimulus.
In general, the electrode lead includes at least one electrode unit giving an electrical stimulus to a body tissue or detecting electrical excitement generated in the body tissue, an electrical connector for electrical connection to a stimulus generator, and a lead body disposed between the electrode unit and the stimulus generator so as to transmit an electrical stimulus.
For example, a nerve-stimulating electrode assembly (electrode unit) described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,979 includes a pair of electrodes formed in a helical shape so as to extend in the opposite directions and the pair of electrodes are applied to the nerve tissue so as to be wound therearound. In an electrode system (electrode unit) described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,905, a backbone-like member extending in a predetermined direction and finger-like members alternately extending in a rib-like shape from the backbone-like member are integrally formed out of a polymer material having biocompatibility. An electrode is disposed in the inner surface of the finger-like member and the electrode comes in contact with a nerve tissue when the finger-like member of the electrode system is wound around the nerve tissue.
A treatment tool described in Japanese Patent Application, First Publication No. 2005-211683 includes a curved portion (adjusting mechanism) curved in a predetermined direction. In the treatment tool, it is possible to freely adjust the direction of a distal end by changing the curved state of the curved portion.